Latest news with #BadBoyforLife
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cassie's mother's testimony may prove to be 'very damaging' to Diddy's case: expert
Cassie Ventura's mother testified Tuesday about the alleged abuse her daughter endured from Sean "Diddy" Combs. Regina Ventura took the stand at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York and told the court that, among other things, the "Bad Boy for Life" singer attempted to blackmail their family. Cassie's mom's testimony may prove to be a crucial component to the U.S. Attorney's Office's case against the disgraced music mogul, according to legal experts. Diddy Trial Witness Reveals Threats And Violence That Could Support Rico Charges: Expert "Generally speaking, relatives can be perceived as extremely biased witnesses. However, credibility is largely dependent on the demeanor of the individual," Los Angeles litigator John J. Perlstein exclusively told Fox News Digital. "It is irrelevant to the case whether Ventura's mother spoke to Diddy or not, and would unlikely favor either side. What will be relevant is her testimony regarding the $20,000 payment exchange for keeping sex tapes from being released, which in my opinion, can be very damaging to the defendant as it shows what little value a man of great means placed upon this poor woman." Read On The Fox News App Cassie Ventura Emerges As 'Star Witness' In Diddy's Federal Sex Crimes Trial: Expert The jury was shown Tuesday an email Cassie sent to her mom on Dec. 23, 2011. In the digital correspondence, Cassie said that Diddy would release two sex tapes. Cassie's email also claimed that Diddy would have someone hurt her and rapper Kid Cudi, whom she was dating at the time. Cassie and Cudi, whose full name is Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, dated in 2011 when she was on a break in her relationship with Diddy. "The threats that have been made towards me by Sean 'Puffy' Combs are that are that (sic) he is going to release 2 explicit sex tapes of me," Cassie allegedly wrote in the email. "One on Christmas Day, maybe before or right after and another one some time soon after that. He has also said that he will be having someone hurt me and Scott Mescudi physically (he made a point that it wouldn't be by his hands, he actually said he'd be out of the country when it happened)." Regina testified that she "was physically sick" and did not understand a lot of it. She claimed the sex tapes threw her, but she understood that Diddy was allegedly going to hurt Cassie. She testified that Diddy demanded $20,000 to recoup the money he spent on Cassie. Watch On Fox Nation: What Diddy Do? At the time, Diddy was allegedly angry that Cassie was with another person. It was expected the money would come from Regina and her husband. Regina claimed they took a home equity loan to pay the "Last Night" rapper. When Regina received wiring instructions, she claimed she wired the money from her checking account to the Bad Boy account. About four to five days later, the money allegedly came back. Regina said she did not have any conversations with Diddy about the money, and also does not have a copy of the wiring instructions. WATCH: SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS ASSAULTS CASSIE VENTURA IN 2016 LOS ANGELES HOTEL INCIDENT "I was scared for my daughter's safety," Regina told Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson. Like What You're Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News "Ventura's mother's testimony is further corroboration of the allegations that have been made by her daughter and further supports the repetitive pattern of intimidation that the prosecution is trying to prove," Perlstein told Fox News Digital. "It is likely that the defense may have found the witness to be damning and thus, declined cross-examination, but it is unusual as it is common practice to ask any witness on the stand at least a question even an irrelevant softball question." He added, "Avoiding cross-examination creates the perception that the witness is to be believed in every respect in the eyes of the jury." Diddy's attorney, Marc Agnifilo, didn't ask to cross-examine Regina, which is a common courtroom strategy when it comes to a victim's mother, according to former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani. "You don't want to turn off the jurors," Rahmani told Fox News Digital. Cassie testified about allegedly being raped by Diddy after their break-up and claimed to enter rehab at the beginning of 2023 after suffering "horrible flashbacks" of the abuse. Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter The singer, who is pregnant with her third child with husband Alex Fine, also claimed that Diddy's "freak offs" became a job. "Freak offs" were "elaborately produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded," according to the indictment. The "freak offs" would last between 24 and 72 hours. Ventura recalled the longest "freak off" was four days. When she wasn't participating, she was recovering from "the drugs, dehydration, staying awake," she said. On Wednesday, Cassie also disclosed she received a $20 million settlement 24 hours after filing a lawsuit against Diddy in November 2023. Diddy was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed Sept. 17. He has maintained his innocence. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison. Fox News' Maria Paronich contributed to this article source: Cassie's mother's testimony may prove to be 'very damaging' to Diddy's case: expert
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cassie Ventura reveals the ‘painful' medical issues she suffered from brutal ‘Freak-Offs' with Sean ‘Diddy' Combs
Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura revealed during day two of her incredibly raw testimony at her ex Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex-trafficking trial the toll 'Freak-Offs' took on her body throughout their relationship. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Johnson first asked the 'Me & U' singer, who was on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court Wednesday, what 'medical issues' she experienced. 'I had a lot of stomach issues and gastrointestinal issues from taking drugs,' Ventura, 38, explained. During the first day of her testimony, the 'Long Way 2 Go' singer — who is eight months pregnant with her and husband Alex Fine's third child — said she would take ecstasy, marijuana, ketamine, GHB (also known as the 'date rape drug') or mushrooms during her romps with Combs and an escort. 'I couldn't imagine myself doing any of that without having some sort of buffer or a way to not feel the way it really was, which was emotionless and sex with a stranger who I didn't want to have sex with,' she said. Ventura further testified Wednesday that the 'Freak-Offs' would give her 'frequent' urinary tract infections because the sex sessions were 'back to back.' 'I was doing a 'Freak-Off' with an infection,' she added before noting that even cranberry juices, pills or other remedies for UTIs did not work on her any longer, calling it 'just a mess.' '[It was] really painful for a long time. I actually can't believe I dealt with that,' the soon-to-be mom of three reflected on the stand. Ventura described having sex while suffering from a UTI as 'horrible' and 'the most uncomfortable, burning' sensation. 'I would not advise it,' she said in a rare lighthearted moment. The 'King of Hearts' singer said she also had 'sores' on her tongue from the 'Freak-Offs' because of all the substances she would come in contact with, including oil and lubricants. On Tuesday, Ventura testified that Combs, 55, once had a blow-up pool filled with oil and lube inside of a hotel room during one of their 'Freak-Offs' to give them 'glistening' bodies, which the rap mogul liked. The songstress said Wednesday that Combs was aware of her health struggles. The court was showed a text in which the Bad Boy Records founder told her, 'I need you to go to the doc.' 'I took the blame for things. I just didn't understand why he was saying sorry about something that happened many times,' she said on the stand. On Day 1, Ventura went into great detail about the 'Freak-Offs,' which she said Combs introduced her to when she was just 22. She said the 'Bad Boy for Life' rapper — who is 17 years her senior — viewed the acts as 'voyeurism,' which is when a person gets turned on by seeing others engage in sexual behaviors. The 'Love a Loser' singer claimed one of the longest 'Freak-Offs' lasted four days or 'maybe even more,' and she sometimes had to do them while on her period. They occurred 'weekly' on a consistent basis throughout the course of their decade-long relationship. She also recalled how Combs would ask her to call him an incestuous nickname and spoke about the time an escort and her then-boyfriend urinated in her mouth, causing her to 'choke.' Ventura testified that she would need additional time to recover from the 'Freak-Offs,' particularly because of the dehydration and drug use. Her emotional testimony, which at times brought her to tears, comes more than a year after she sued Combs for rape and settled with him shortly after. Ventura is considered a key witness in the federal government's case against the 'Last Night' rapper, in which he faces charges for sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. A shocking surveillance video — which was just released in full — of Combs beating his former girlfriend in a hotel in 2016 has been entered as evidence of their years-long battle with domestic abuse.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pregnant Cassie Ventura heads to court for Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial ahead of testimony against ex
Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura stepped out Tuesday morning looking somber ahead of her long-awaited court appearance in her ex Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex-trafficking trial. The 'Me & U' singer, who is pregnant with her and husband Alex Fine's third child, made her way to the Manhattan federal court dressed in a camel-toned trench coat, brown turtleneck and matching boots. She paired her ensemble with black sunglasses and styled her hair straight. Ventura, 38, is expected to testify Tuesday after a bombshell day of opening statements, in which prosecutors alleged Combs, 55, once forced a male escort to urinate in his then-girlfriend's mouth. Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson told the 12-person jury, which consists of eight men and four women, that the disgusting act allegedly made the 'Long Way to Go' singer feel like she was 'choking.' However, when the male escort, identified as Daniel Phillip, took the witness stand later in the day, he claimed Ventura 'told me to do it.' He added, 'And, apparently, I was doing it wrong because they both stopped me and told me I was supposed to let a little out at a time and not go full like — take a leak on her.' Ventura's testimony is expected to be very emotional, as she recounts some of the horrific details from her decade-long relationship with Combs, which took place from 2007 to 2018. She has made some of her alleged experiences known already in a scathing rape lawsuit she filed against the 'Bad Boy for Life' rapper in November 2023. Ventura claimed in that suit that Combs abused her 'physically and sexually' repeatedly as she 'tried to escape his tight hold over her life.' 'Every time she hid, Mr. Combs's vast network of corporations and affiliated entities found her, and those who worked for Mr. Combs's companies implored her to return to him,' the suit further claimed. Ventura and Combs settled their lawsuit within 24 hours, although the latter claimed the agreement was not an admission of wrongdoing. In May 2024, CNN then released shocking surveillance video of the 'Making the Band' producer dragging and beating the songstress in a hotel hallway in 2016. That damning video was played for the jury on Monday and is considered a key piece of evidence in Combs' sex-trafficking case. A security guard who was present also testified about the incident. The disgraced music mogul's legal team has reminded jurors, though, that while their client has a 'bad temper,' 'domestic violence is not sex trafficking' and he is being tried for the latter. Combs — who is accused of hosting nefarious 'Freak-Offs' — has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he is facing, including sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. It has been reported that his defense team plans to accuse Ventura of domestic violence on the stand in an attempt to take a stab at the 'King of Hearts' singer's credibility.
08-05-2025
Sean 'Diddy' Combs legal team: Here are the lawyers defending hip-hop mogul
Facing the potential of life in prison on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, Sean Combs hired a high-profile team of defense lawyers for his criminal trial in New York. With a combined 150 years of legal experience, Combs' team of lawyers have defended everyone from alleged United Healthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione to disgraced financier Martin Shrkeli and rapper Young Thug. "In looking at the team, especially on the first day of jury selection, it seems like they've got people who are experts in their own kind of general areas," said ABC News Legal Contributor Brian Buckmire. "I think the team that Diddy has put together are some heavy hitters in their own rights, and they're working together as such." Combs, a self-proclaimed "Bad Boy for Life", was charged last year with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution after prosecutors accused the rap mogul of using violence to coerce women into sex, protect his business empire, and preserve his reputation as one of hip-hop's most important figures. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison. Combs has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations against him, and his lawyers are expected to argue that any of the alleged sexual activity was done by consenting adults. He rejected a plea deal last week. With an estimated billion-dollar fortune helping support his legal defense, Combs is relying on his high-powered army of attorneys to defend him in court and convince a jury to spare him a lengthy prison sentence. Marc Agnifilo Experienced defense attorney Marc Agnifilo is leading Combs' defense team, bringing with him experience defending NXIVM leader Keith Raniere, "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli and Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng. Raniere was convicted for creating what prosecutors described as a sex cult in which female members were branded with his initials and kept in line through blackmail and sentenced to 120 years in prison. Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in person for securities fraud and conspiracy, while Ng was sentenced to 10 years in person for his alleged role in a money laundering and bribery scheme including paying more than $1.6 billion in bridges to dozens of government officials. Agnifilo also has experience working as a federal and state prosecutor and boasts having tried more than 200 cases over his three-decade legal career. Agnifilo is also one half of a legal power couple with his wife Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former prosecutor who investigated the Trump Organization while with the Manhattan district attorney's office. Since leaving government service, her most high-profile client has been Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year. Teny Geragos Teny Geragos is a founding partner at New York-based law firm Agnifilo Intrater, and also defended Raniere and Shkreli. She graduated from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 2016. Geragos is also the daughter of famed defense attorney Mark Geragos, whose clients include Hunter Biden, Chris Brown and Michael Jackson. While Mark Geragos is not representing Combs, his appearance in court during jury selection sparked criticism from prosecutors due to his past public statements about the case on his podcast. Federal prosecutors asked the judge to remind Mark Geragos about court policies that forbid statements outside court that could interfere with a fair trial. Mark Geragos is also involved in a simultaneous high-profile case -- arguing for the release of Erik and Lyle Menendez 35 years after the pair was convicted of killing their parents. Alexandra Shapiro Alexandra Shapiro brings over 30 years of appellate experience to Combs' legal team, having served as the deputy chief of appeals for the United States attorney's office in Manhattan and an attorney-adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice. She represented Sam Bankman-Fried in the failed appeal of his criminal conviction and scored a series of legal victories at the United States Supreme Court. She also clerked for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- a job she shares with the judge overseeing Combs' case, though the two did not overlap. Brian Steel Atlanta-based attorney Brian Steel joined Combs' legal team last month after gaining national attention defending rapper Young Thug. After the longest criminal trial in Georgia history, Young Thug pleaded guilty to gun, drug and gang charges but was spared a lengthy prison sentence. Steel was briefly sent to jail during the trial after the judge overseeing the case held him in contempt for refusing to provide the judge information about what he learned of a meeting between prosecutors, a witness and the judge himself. The contempt ruling was later overturned. Xavier Donaldson Xavier Donaldson, a New York-based criminal defense attorney, joined Combs' legal team on the eve of trial. He has nearly three decades of criminal defense experience and worked as a former prosecutor in the Bronx. Anna Estevao Anna Estevao is a partner at New York law firm Sher Tremonte LLP. She graduated from New York University School of Law and briefly worked as a federal defender in California, according to her Linkedin profile. Jason Driscoll Jason Driscoll is an associate at Shapiro's law firm and one of the most junior members of Combs' defense team. He graduated from New York University School of Law and completed two deferral clerkships. Linda Moreno Linda Moreno is a high-profile legal consultant who joined Combs' legal team to help with jury selection. Her law firm's website describes her an expert on anti-Muslim bias, including representing Sami Amin Al-Arian after he was indicted under the Patriot Act for allegedly playing a leadership role in the terrorist group Palestinian Jihad. He was acquitted on most charges and pleaded guilty to lesser charges. She also was on the legal team that secured an acquittal for Noor Salman, the wife of the Pulse nightclub shooter who was accused of lying to the FBI and helping her husband. Moreno is no stranger to celebrity trials having worked on the legal team defending American actor Wesley Snipes in his criminal trial for failing to file tax returns. Snipes was convicted on three misdemeanor charges but acquitted on the more serious felony charges.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial gets underway with jury selection
Jury selection starts Monday in the sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, beginning the first courtroom test of whether one of hip-hop's most important figures used power and wealth amassed in the music, clothing and spirits industries to sexually abuse, coerce and exploit alleged victims for decades. Known by various names through the years – Puffy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy and Love – Combs became a rap impresario in the 1990s, launching the careers of Mary J. Blige, Usher and the Notorious B.I.G. and lending his hip-hop credentials to the songs of Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez. Combs, who once proclaimed himself "Bad Boy for Life," now faces what could amount to a life sentence if convicted. Federal prosecutors in New York allege he "abused, threatened and coerced women" into prolonged, drug-fueled sexual orgies with male prostitutes he called "freak offs" and threatened them into silence. "After Freak Offs, Combs and the victims typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use," the indictment said. He has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges -- five counts in all. His defense attorneys have said all of his sexual encounters were consensual and have described Combs as a swinger who invited third parties into his bedroom. At a hearing last month, Agnifilo seemed to preview the defense strategy, telling the judge, "There's a lifestyle, call it swingers, that he was in that he thought was appropriate. The reason he thought it was appropriate is because it's so common." MORE: Here's what's in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs indictment By coincidence, jury selection begins the same day as the Met Gala, where Combs was once a fixture. Potential jurors began answering written questions last week to test what they may have heard about the case, whether they can be fair and whether they can endure a two-month trial expected to feature sexually explicit evidence. The evidence includes a surveillance tape, first broadcast by CNN in May 2024, that shows Combs striking, kicking and dragging then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016. Ventura's civil lawsuit, settled a day after it was filed in 2023 with no admission of wrongdoing, provided prosecutors with a basis to initiate the criminal investigation that led to Combs' arrest in September 2024. Combs apologized for the video at the time, saying, "I hit rock bottom -- but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video." Ventura is an anticipated witness, along with three other as-yet-unidentified alleged victims, two of whom were given permission to testify under pseudonyms. MORE: Sean 'Diddy' Combs rejects plea deal ahead of sex trafficking trial Prosecutors are also expected to introduce items seized when federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations raided Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami, including more than a dozen electronic devices and AR-15-style rifles with defaced serial numbers. Days before trial, federal prosecutors offered Combs a chance to plead guilty and spare himself the possibility of a prolonged prison sentence. Asked if he rejected the offer, Combs answered, "Yes I do your honor." He has appeared in court wearing drab beige jail garb but the jury will see him in ordinary dress clothes. Members of his family, including his mother, are expected to attend. His defense team includes Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. They represented NXIVM founder Keith Raniere who was convicted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, the same charges Combs faces. The defense team also includes Brian Steel, who represented rapper Young Thug at a racketeering trial in Atlanta, and Alexandra Shapiro, a leading appellate litigator who also represents Sam Bankman-Fried. The all-female prosecution team includes Maureen Comey, who successfully prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell for sex trafficking, and Emily Johnson, Mitzi Steiner and Madison Smyser, who have prosecuted violent crime, and gang prosecutor Christy Slavik. Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial gets underway with jury selection originally appeared on
